Scottish Island Adventures - Colonsay - with hosts Coinneach Macleod, The Hebridean Baker and singer-songwriter Natalie Galloway.

Colonsay

Colonsay is an island in the Inner Hebrides located north of Islay and south of Mull. It is accessible by CalMac ferry from both Islay and Oban! Colonsay is connected to a smaller island, Oronsay, on its southern end by a tidal causeway and is a rugged island where the low-lying dune grassland known as Machair produces an array of native wildflowers such as heather and wild thyme and acts as a haven for birds and insects.

Colonsay Wool Growers

At the very top of Colonsay lies Balnahard Farm, the home of Colonsay Wool Growers. The farm has been in the same family for generations and currently boasts over 400 locally reared wool sheep of varying Hebridean cross-breeds. The sheared wool is dyed naturally with native flora such as bog myrtle, nettle and moss to produce yarns, knitting kits, and limited edition knitwear.

Colonsay Gin

Colonsay Gin began in 2016 when husband and wife duo Finlay and Eileen Geekie traded the busy life of Oxfordshire for a fresh start on Colonsay. Inspired by Celtic folklore and a love of true juniper gin, they launched Colonsay Gin. Today, their gin is a nod to the wild beauty of the island and the business contributes to the island’s sustainability and future development - drawing in visitors for tours and tasting.

Colonsay Black Bees

Colonsay and Oronsay have a long history of traditional honey use and bee-keeping. The continued practice of native bee-keeping in small isolated pockets helps to protect and sustain the dwindling Black Bee population under threat from imported non-native honey bees, and the changing climate. The other result of the practice happens to be fragrant honey that contains all the notes of the diverse island flora providing pollen for the bees.

Thank you for listening to the Caledonian MacBrayne podcast. To find out more about Scotland’s west coast islands and all topics discussed on this episode, visit the CalMac website.